After Australia dismissed the tourists for 172, England’s formidable attack, spearheaded by captain Ben Stokes, bowled them into a position of strength on the first day of carnage in the first Ashes Test in Perth on Friday, that saw 19 wickets falling.
On a fine day at a crowded Perth Stadium, Stokes won the toss and decided to bat, but a rampaging Mitchell Starc took 7-58 to put England on the back foot. After lunch, they collapsed, with the only resistance coming from Harry Brook (52) and Ollie Pope (46).
However, England’s fast bowlers, led by a superb Stokes with 5-23, battled back to cut the hosts’ lead by 49 to 123-9 at stumps. Brendan Doggett had not yet scored, while Nathan Lyon was on 3.
“What a day,” England bowler Brydon Carse, who took two wickets including Steve Smith, told broadcasters.
“I think everyone that’s come today has got their time’s worth — 19 wickets. Fantastic last session from everyone to put us in a strong position heading into tomorrow.”
Opener Jake Weatherald departed for a second-ball duck in a harsh start to Test cricket. A Jofra Archer bullet left him on the ground, and he was out lbw. After fending off 41 balls for nine, Marnus Labuschagne was bowled by a wider delivery and eventually fell victim to Archer’s sheer speed.
It was game on when Smith was caught at slip by Brook and fell for 17 to Carse in the following over.
Australia was reeling at 31-4 when Usman Khawaja, who was feeling stiff and did not open, stepped in at four but lasted only six balls before being blown away by a Carse bouncer that nicked to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Alex Carey (26), Cameron Green (24), Travis Head (21), and Starc (12) all got starts, but Stokes dismissed them when he came himself on, reflecting the depth of England’s pace stocks.
“He’s amazing. His character, his resilience is everything this team strives to be,” Carse said of the skipper. “A game-changing spell from him in that session.”
In an intimidating opening spell, Starc had taken three wickets, including Joe Root for a duck. After the lunch break, he returned to send Stokes packing in his first over before mopping up.
The team batting first had won all five of the previous Test matches at the Perth stadium, but England tried their hardest to dispute that and got off to a terrible start.
As he has done countless times, veteran strike weapon Starc delivered, luring a thick edge from Zak Crawley on his sixth ball, which Khawaja skillfully collected low at slip, meaning the opener was for nothing. Starc has now claimed a wicket 24 times in an innings’ opening over.
Ben Duckett, on the other hand, calmed himself down with a perfect drive off Scott Boland to secure the series’ first four.
However, just as he was getting going, Starc struck again, trapping him leg before wicket for 21, leaving England in a precarious 33-2 position.
In his latest attempt at an elusive first century in Australia, it led Root to the crease.
He edged a seaming delivery into Labuschagne’s safe hands at third slip after just seven balls. Before Green entered the game, Pope had endured the intense heat and remained calm and was out lbw leaving the visitors at 105-4 at lunch.
After the break, Brook smashed Scott Boland for a six in the first over before Starc once more performed his magic, removing Stokes’s stumps with an inswinger when the captain was on six. Before feathering a short ball to Carey and giving Doggett his first Test wicket on debut, a courageous Brook raced to his 14th Test half-century.
With Doggett, they mercilessly cleaned out the tail after Starc cheaply dismissed Gus Atkinson, giving him his 17th five-wicket haul.
